01-24-2022, 02:13 PM
It's a pickle.
Brunson is probably the piece that's hot enough right now to get some type of advantageous return at the deadline. And, if the team is worried about him bouncing this summer, my guess is they can get a better deal at the deadline than they could in any S&T. And, not having to re-sign him could make ironing out the financial issues of the coming summer easier to navigate (depending on what they get back in the trade).
BUT, trading Brunson at the deadline would almost certainly make the ceiling for this season significantly lower. Like, WAY lower.
Tough to know what to do, especially with the info we have. For all we know, the Mavs and Brunson's team have already determined that he wants to stay here, and might even have a price range. I mean, they certainly did talk about an extension this past summer (though how seriously we don't know) so there is probably an understanding between the parties about the likelihood of Brunson staying or going that we're in the dark about here.
If they trade him, we'll pretty much know that he told them he wants to be the starting PG somewhere, I think.
Brunson is probably the piece that's hot enough right now to get some type of advantageous return at the deadline. And, if the team is worried about him bouncing this summer, my guess is they can get a better deal at the deadline than they could in any S&T. And, not having to re-sign him could make ironing out the financial issues of the coming summer easier to navigate (depending on what they get back in the trade).
BUT, trading Brunson at the deadline would almost certainly make the ceiling for this season significantly lower. Like, WAY lower.
Tough to know what to do, especially with the info we have. For all we know, the Mavs and Brunson's team have already determined that he wants to stay here, and might even have a price range. I mean, they certainly did talk about an extension this past summer (though how seriously we don't know) so there is probably an understanding between the parties about the likelihood of Brunson staying or going that we're in the dark about here.
If they trade him, we'll pretty much know that he told them he wants to be the starting PG somewhere, I think.